Def Leppard...

Do you think, in your opinion, that DefLeppard were ever a heavy metal band, or do you agree with the bandthat they were always just a pop band. I am curious to see what otheropinions of the matter are.

I am of the opinion that they started out inmuch the same way as the other New Wave of British Heavy Metal bandslike Saxon and Maiden, influenced by the likes of Thin Lizzy, UFO,Sweet, Mott the Hoople, Wishbone Ash, etc. Their first EP, On Throughthe Night, High & Dry and to a lesser degree Pyromania, were mostcertainly heavy metal albums. As they became more popular they wentmore and more glossy pop, which is fine. That's the direction that theychose. However, there is no doubt in my mind that they started out as ametal band, even if Joe Elliot now claims they never were a metal bandto begin with. Thoughts? Comments?

I've always classified them as a Hard Rock band... not quite metal, not quite pop.

That said, I don't think their commercial success should reclassify them as a pop band. They were as hard a rock band as many other acts at the time. But I felt that their early stuff lacked the complete metal edge displayed in the overall vibe of bands like Priest, Maiden, etc.

For example, some of Styx's heavier stuff would still be classified as hard rock to me. I've always sort of put Lep in that category instead of the early Brit metal bands.

Since you and Trog are about the same age as me, do you remember a time when "hard rock" and "metal" were one in the same? I'm not sure when the separation started, but it had to be sometime in the late 80's. In the 1970's hard rock bands like Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, UFO, Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugent, Kiss, etc. were also called heavy metal.

I always called DL a pop metal band. I think the separation started when thrash started to get really big and it made the old heavy metal not seem as heavy. That's just MHO of course. AC/DC is another one of those used to be heavy metal bands.

I always called DL a pop metal band. I think the separation started when thrash started to get really big and it made the old heavy metal not seem as heavy. That's just MHO of course. AC/DC is another one of those used to be heavy metal bands.

Yup. AC/DC were always known as a heavy metal band back in the day. Apparently most don't consider them such anymore. History revisionism IMO.

I asked this question on the Heart of Metal board to one person that felt that Def Leppard's early material wasn't heavy metal:

Quote :

Def Leppard...they started out a regular rock band.

So do you also think that about Saxon, Tygers of Pan Tang, Angel Witch, Satan, Blitzkrieg, Raven, etc.? They all had a sound not far off from "On Through the Night" and "The Def Leppard EP".

yes i do... regular rock.

So what was heavy metal in the late 1970's and early 80's then if bands like Def Leppard, Saxon, Tygers of Pan Tang, Angel Witch, Satan, Blitzkrieg, Raven, etc. were not heavy metal? The fact is, these bands defined the sound of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. They may not be 'heavy' as we have it today with all the metalcore, death metal, and black metal stuff, but it was still heavy metal.

I've even had people argue with me that bands like Judas Priest and Black Sabbath are not heavy metal. Again, this just boggles my mind how people can just redefine music history.

People think only the current heavy music is the true heavy metal. Heck, Deep Purple was probably heavy metal in the day. Maybe those goups you listed could be called classic heavy metal. I don't really care but it is weird how people will redefine music. I can't wait until Judas Priest is easy listening.

I like DEF LEPPARD's early material. At the time, I called it "heavy metal". Was it that or was it "hard rock"? I dunno - don't care. I don't care that it doesn't fit into today's "reclassification" of what the term "heavy metal" means. What the hell does it really matter anyway, and why does this subject continue to come up over and over again as though it did?

What the hell does it really matter anyway, and why does this subject continue to come up over and over again as though it did?

I suppose it doesn't really matter what people think. I was just asking opinions on the subject since it came up again. I guess I am still surprised that people have no problem redefininghistory and since my site is called NoLifeTilMetal.com, it comes upquite a bit for me.

I was really taken back by the quote above that Saxon, Tygers of Pan Tang, Angel Witch, Satan, Blitzkrieg, Raven, etc. are "just hard rock" and not heavy metal. To me, that discounts the entire NWOBHM movement.

I suppose it doesn't really matter what people think. I was just asking opinions on the subject since it came up again. I guess I am still surprised that people have no problem redefininghistory and since my site is called NoLifeTilMetal.com, it comes upquite a bit for me.

Not a slam on you at all, Scott. It just seems like people constantly challenge you on this particular issue.

And I'm probably just getting tired because of all of the online arguments I've been a part of and exposed to lately...

I suppose it doesn't really matter what people think. I was just asking opinions on the subject since it came up again. I guess I am still surprised that people have no problem redefininghistory and since my site is called NoLifeTilMetal.com, it comes upquite a bit for me.

Not a slam on you at all, Scott. It just seems like people constantly challenge you on this particular issue.

And I'm probably just getting tired because of all of the online arguments I've been a part of and exposed to lately...

Yup, it comes up a lot for some reason. I constantly get emails stating that "this band or that band on our site isn't metal...".

Since you and Trog are about the same age as me, do you remember a time when "hard rock" and "metal" were one in the same? I'm not sure when the separation started, but it had to be sometime in the late 80's. In the 1970's hard rock bands like Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, UFO, Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugent, Kiss, etc. were also called heavy metal.

I am sure I am just a couple of years older than you guys, turning 42 this August, and I can remember those days.

Actually, the split with metal/hard rock occured in my neck of the woods in about 80/81 when a few of us started listening to a lot of NWOBHM and that set us apart from the others who found that a bit too extreme .

The sounds of say, Saxon,Def Leppard, Tygers,et al. were not that far off from that of Triumph,Aerosmith, Nugent and the like, but for some odd reason, the bands from Europe were sooo much heavier .

Then in 83/84 when thrash exploded, the lines were forever seperated...

Oh, and as far as Leppard ever being a 'metal' band; sure, why not. OTTN & H/D were very heavy for that time frame. I actually got to see DL in '83 on the Pyromania tour with Uriah Heep opening. They were loud and pretty heavy. I'm so old school, I can say I saw Def Leppard when their drummer had both arms.

Oh, and as far as Leppard ever being a 'metal' band; sure, why not. OTTN & H/D were very heavy for that time frame. I actually got to see DL in '83 on the Pyromania tour with Uriah Heep opening. They were loud and pretty heavy. I'm so old school, I can say I saw Def Leppard when their drummer had both arms.

Number of posts : 432Location : In the misty morning,on the edge of timeRegistration date : 2007-05-04

Subject: Re: Def Leppard... Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:51 pm

One of my unheard buys ,along with Motley Crue and Metallica.I could not believe it when I heard "Photograph" on the radio a few weeks later.I...I had actually picked a band that became popular! I lost interest after Pyromania,too much other stuff out there to buy.